Gilayo, a California-based producer of modular steel framing systems, is aiming for the stars. It announced its new patented steel plate system could one day be used to build structures on Mars using the planet's natural resources. 

Gilayo structures can be assembled in just hours without welding or heavy machinery—an innovation that has already transformed off-grid living, disaster relief, and military applications. Now, Co-Founder Johnny “Doc” Mayo believes the same system could help humans build the first steel habitats on another world.

“If we can build a home in a day here, we can build a habitat on Mars,” Mayo said. “The Gilayo Plate was designed to make strong, lasting structures anywhere—mountains, deserts, disaster zones. Mars is just the next frontier.”

Mayo, a lifelong builder, inventor, and pioneer, envisions robotic assembly of Gilayo structures using Martian rock and regolith as the foundation—turning local materials into functional habitats and labs for future explorers. The modular nature of the Gilayo system makes it ideally suited for expansion and adaptation in harsh environments, whether on Earth or millions of miles away.

“The future of construction isn’t confined to our planet,” Mayo said. “Gilayo was born from a simple idea: make building faster, smarter, and more resource-conscious. Now that idea could help humanity settle the Red Planet.”

Beyond its space ambitions, Gilayo said it remains committed to real-world impact—creating housing solutions for disaster recovery, sustainable development, and humanitarian aid. The company’s philosophy is that innovation should serve both people and the planet, whether under blue skies or red ones.

“We build for a purpose,” Mayo said. “On Earth, that means giving people safe places to live and work. Mars challenges us to think differently, to innovate with what we have, and to create systems that endure. Gilayo was built for that.”